Would you switch to another brand if prices of your favorite brand products are increased suddenly?

Yes. I would switch from Dollar store cola and Mr. Noodles to Coke a Cola and Ichyban noodles.

It depends on the item. If it a TV I have no brand loyalty since the price swinges can be pretty dramatic.

But RITZ crackers could probably double before I would consider the generic since they are so cheap and the generics aren’t nearly as good.

That really depends on the price increase. Since many prices for similar goods rise in tandem, it usually isn’t enough for me to switch brands.

I will usually forego something before buying an alternative brand.

Depends on the thing. I will pay double for Helmann’s mayo compared to other mayo. I think
Most people will have a hard time giving up their favorite mayo or Miracle Whip equivalent.

When I was a Cocaholic, I would pay much more for Coke than other soda. Now, that I drink caffeine free (and very rarely at that) I’m not brand loyal, because none of it is “the real thing.”

Other items I would at least try another brand.

There are very few things I’m brand loyal toward, and it’s always because of the quality of the brand vs. the competitors.

No price increase of Lysol Power cleaner is going to make me buy Clorox, because Lysol works and Clorox doesn’t.

I buy according to price only, not brand.

Depends on the product. Some things are worth paying for. Heinz ketchup, for one.

electronics: name brands are almost always worth paying extra for.

Heinz ketchup for sure. That’s another one.

I would definitely start buying other brands and generics to see if there was a product close or equal to the original.

The only product I can think of off-hand that I’m totally loyal to is Diet Dr. Pepper. If it doubled in price, I’d start buying 12 packs of store brands. That would either lead to a cheaper substitute, or break me of the Dr. Pepper habit. Then I could start off with something totally different, like ginger ale or cream soda. Or just return to iced tea.

I’ve been thinking about products I use and if I’m into any particular brand. The only think recently that I really wanted to be specific as far as the make was I bought a new car last year and I wanted a Honda. I spent 26k. If Honda doubled in price, I’d either have to buy a cheaper model (maybe Fit instead of CRV) but otherwise, would try to stick with Honda.

No food that I eat at home do I really insist be a specific brand. Greek yogurt I eat generic. I like Diet Coke and Coke Zero but I’d just as soon drink water if I had to.

I like butter instead of margarine but I am not loyal to any brand. Ice cream, if I buy it, it’s an impulse buy and it’s what’s on sale. Clothes, I buy cheap as well as expensive. If it’s expensive it has to be on sale.

I buy from Costco a lot, and Jellies probably have heard me talk about things I get at Costco. If I want something, I will probably check Costco first. Some things they even will have a further price reduction which makes things even cheaper than cheap. I will buy Kirkland brand coffee for the Keurig (Kirkland is Costco generic). If Paul Newman is on sale, I’ll buy that but I’m just as likely to buy Kirkland.

Makeup, I like L’oreal but I can go with other brands. Shampoo and conditioner, I try all kinds, depending on price, scent, quality.

I am not really brand loyal to anything except Honda.

@ibstubro The only good cream soda is Dr. Brown’s.

I think A&W has caffeine in it. If I was replacing Dr. Pepper I’d probably look for caffeine, @JLeslie.

As pointed out above, some things matter more than others. There’s no caffeine in A&W root beer who are only too happy to brag about the fact. The cream soda is free of it as well, but difficult to find out here.

A&W Cream Soda
Serving size: 8 fl. oz. (240 mL)
Amount per serving:

Calories: 120
Total fat: 0 g
Sodium: 30 mg
Total Carb: 31 g
Caffeine: 19.2 mg
Sugars: 45 g
Protein: 0 g

It’s easy to buy around here, @stanleybmanly, and I sometimes break myself from Dr. Pepper with it, when there’s a sale.

A&W Root Beer is, indeed, caffeine free.

Would do and have done.

Like @jca , I’m hooked on Honda. I switch brands on all sorts of things, but not my cars. Civic – 14 years, Civic – 14 years, Fit – 6 years so far.

I might be crazy but Safeway Select Cola is just as good as Coke but 25% the cost.

Actually all the Safeway generics are really good. The rising crust pizza is way better than the name brand ones.

We discussed this at length in a econ class. The Pepsi and Coke thing that is. There is a thing called spontaneous collusion. So you have two brands of sugar water that are similar. Both brands are 80 cents for a can. That is fucking odd. And then you have a generic for a fraction of the price that tastes the same.

It is almost like the heads of Pepsi and Coke come together to set a price and agree to fight it out with their advertising budget. This is actually illegal. But yeah, spontaneous collusion.

@ibstubro thanks (and I mean it) for the correction. I was certain of the caffeine free nature of the cream soda. I thought I’d read that the only “clear” soda doped up with caffeine was Mountain Dew.

Guess it would depend on how much the increase was and how much I like the product. I buy more genetics than I used to, but there are some brands I’ve used for decades I’ll probably always stick with—Name-brand t-paper, for example. Never found a store brand I could stand.

There are lots of soda with caffeine, @Seek. Some brands of root beer. Big Red. Sundrop.

@Pachy: Toilet paper I’ll buy what’s on sale if I’m in the grocery store, as long as it looks like decent quality. The ones on sale are name brands so it’s all good. I have noticed that most toilet paper that is sold in grocery stores has gotten narrower and narrower to the point where it’s very noticeable. Costco, (you are all probably tired of me talking about Costco) Kirkland brand toilet paper has not gotten narrower and narrower, which makes it an added bonus. The downside is you have to buy a big thing of it – not sure how many rolls but it’s big, for about $17.

@johnpowell: A good friend of mine buys RC cola and she seems to think it tastes exactly like Coke or Pepsi. I disagree. When I’m in a restaurant and they don’t use Coke or Pepsi syrup in their tap soda, I can tell something’s off.

Definitely. Name brands aren’t that important to me.

Creme soda has caffeine?!

Depends on what item it is. Would I buy cheap cat food for my cats, no.
Breakfast cereal is another one. I have to have the real Cherrios, Shredded Wheat etc.
Off brand cereals are icky, it is like they are manufactured with compressed cast off cereal dust. I wonder if the cheapo cereal manufactures buy Cherrios dust from GM? lol

Yes, I would try a cheaper brand. And if it was shitty, I’d go back to my original choice. But I’d always be looking out for something cheaper after this. It’s big mistake for a brand to do that simply for profit taking. Customer loyalty is forever shaken afterwards. Mine is, anyway.

Hold on now. I’m shocked right along with @Coloma that cream soda has caffeine?! I don’t think that’s the case with Dr. Brown’s. I never feel like I’m getting caffeine from it.

It depends on the Product and its quality. Sometimes it good to pay a little more if you will be getting a better quality.

Here’s correct link for caffeine free Cream: Just one example:

http://www.sodapopstop.com/products/detail.cfm?link=93

Some cream soda has caffeine, some doesn’t.

A&W Cream Soda
Serving size: 8 fl. oz. (240 mL)
Amount per serving:

Calories: 120
Total fat: 0 g
Sodium: 30 mg
Total Carb: 31 g
Caffeine: 19.2 mg
Sugars: 45 g
Protein: 0 g

Like I said, @ibstubro, some cream soda has caffeine, some doesn’t.

I’m shocked any of the cream sodas have caffeine. I guess it’s like Mountain Dew having caffeine, unless you know you would assume the opposite.

I’d bet money Dr. Brown’s cream doesn’t have caffeine. Such a treat that soda. Nothing better with pastrami on rye, or matzoh ball soup. It’s a classic.

I am now craving a creme soda, I seriously haven’t had one for, I don’t know, 10 years or longer! I can’t even remember the last time!

You must have forgotten how it tastes..)

@JLeslie and @ibstubro: I just googled Dr. Browns Cream Soda caffeine and I find no caffeine in the Dr. Brown’s.

I never asserted that cream soda is traditionally caffeinated.

I stated that if I was replacing Diet Dr. Pepper (my before noon drink), I would seek a caffeinated product, such as A&W Cream Soda.
As it is, I sometimes drink I.B.C. Cream Soda past noon.

I was as shocked as @JLeslie and @Coloma that A&W Cream Soda had caffeine in it.

I hope no one sets their hair afire when they learn that Barq’s Root Beer also contains caffeine: “carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, sodium benzoate, citric acid, caffeine, artificial and natural flavors, acacia.”

Both cream soda and root beer are traditionally caffeine free.
But there are exceptions to every rule.
Be aware of what you ingest!

I, too, try to avoid caffeine in the afternoons and evenings. I’ll look for the caffeine content and if something has caffeine in it, I’ll only allow myself a few sips.

I was loyal to Newport cigarettes since I began smoking as a teen. An overnight dollar increase 6 years ago angered me so much that I vowed to find a cheaper source than the (then) $5.00 a pack I was spending daily at convenience stores.

I never found a cheaper source. I found instead a cheaper (and healthier) alternative to smoking in electronic cigarettes. I’m happy to say I’m 6 years smoke free.

I only hope now that my government won’t impose so many restrictions on the use of these products that they no longer become cost effective! They’re gonna “protect” me to the point I’ll resume smoking again.

Bummer…!